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For migrants from non-EU-States, so called third-country nationals, the right to enter Germany for the purpose of employment mainly depends on their qualifications. There are very few possibilities to immigrate as a non-qualified worker. Instead, skilled individuals may enter Germany in order to take up a gainful activity if certain preconditions are fulfilled.

In its Green Paper on economic migration (KOM(2004) 811) from January 2005, the EU Commission estimates that by 2030, there will be an influx of some more 20 million labour immigrants to the EU. Labour immigration has a long history in Germany. Since the end of the 1950s, many different immigrants hav come to work in Germanys booming economy as a result of special agreements with Italy, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Morocco, among others.

On January 1, 2005 the new German Immigration Act came into force. The regime for some 7,400,000 foreigners living already in Germany and for the influx of around 660,000 immigrants each year has changed significantly.

The new act is the second attempt to establish a new regime on immigration in Germany. On 18 December 2002 the first Immigration Act was declared invalid by the Federal Constitutional Court for formal reasons concerning its adoption in 2002. The new Immigration Act, adopted on 30 July 2004 represents a compromise between the socialist-green government of chancellor Schröder and the conservative opposition. It contains the Act on the Residence, Economic Activity and Integration of Foreigners in the Federal Territory (Residence Act) andthe Act on the General Freedom of movement for EU Citizens. In addition, there have been amendments on further provisons as the Asylum Procedures Act, the Law on Social Benefits for Asylum Seekers and the Nationality Act.

BERLIN  Almost one of four immigrants in Germany is hit by poverty. The economic situation for migrants living in Germany worsened continuously since 1998. While in 1998 only 19 percent of migrants had a salary beneath the poverty level, five years later this number has increased to 23 percent.

On 31 December 2004 the Spanish government under president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero enacted a new regulation on the legalisation of illegal immigrants in Spain.

According to this regulation, migrants who were living illegally in Spain may receive a residence and a work permit if they live for at least one year in Spain and if they have a work contract for at least six month. Further, migrants or their employers have to apply for legalisation no later then 7 May 2005.

BERLIN  There are many questions newly arrived immigrants have in a new country. What is the green point? And what about the TÜV? What does the GEZ stand for?

In order to answer these questions and to facilitate an easy start in Germany, on 2 February 2005 Marie-Luise Beck, German Government Representative for Migration, Refugees and Integration presented the second edition of the Manual for Germany.

Caulonia Superiore is a fairly typical village in Calabria, one of the poorest regions in Italy. Not only is the village old, so are its residents. Untypical for this region, mafia activity is low- its just too difficult to get in without someone noticing. Situated on a hill surrounded by thick medieval walls, its as if the place has taken on a look best suited to its inhabitants. Unemployment and lack of investment or technology have resulted in the region losing its youth to the more prosperous North and abroad for decades. And lacking the geographical advantages of Lombardy and Tuscany or the international appeal of Venice and Rome, a tourist economy has not benefited the region- it is simply too far for Northern Europeans.

LUXEMBOURG - On 29 January 2005 UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers urged justice and interior ministers of all 25 EU Member States at an informal meeting to make more efforts to resettle people seeking protection. The High Commissioner noted that although refugee numbers worldwide are going down there are still too many long-lasting refugee problems. "We count 38 protracted refugee situations worldwide  involving more than 6 million people," he said.

STRASSBOURG - On 11 January 2005 the European Commission presented a Green Paper on economic migration (KOM(2004) 811). This Green Paper aims at launching a process of in-depth discussion, involving the EU, institutions, Member States and the civil society on further harmonisation of European immigration law for third country nationals.

Based on the results of this discussion the European Commission will present a policy plan on legal labour migration until end 2005 which possibly will include a regulation on EU - green cards and which prepares the European framework for a wide-scale labour immigration.

BERLIN  thousands of migrants of Turkish origin are fearing losing their German Citizenship because they reacquired Turkish citizenship after naturalisation. The German interior ministry said on 7 February 2005 that there may be more than 10.000 people affected by this form of dual nationality. According to Turkish authorities up to 50.000 could be struck by the loss their German passport now.